05.56

Bredonborough.

Rising at 05.00.

Bags by the front door…

… ready for KevinTaxi at 06.00. I kissed the sleeping Minx goodbye, Kevin arrived punctually at 06.00 & loaded in the bags.

I returned to kiss my beautiful little Wife a second time, missing her already: I thought you’d already left! Thus the words of the Sleepy Minx. This is a hidden cost of touring & meeting responsibilities abroad.

09.03  Star Alliance Club of Newness, Wonder & Delight.

Into the KevinMobile…

…  and a swift journey to Heathrow Terminal One: two hours. This is the first time I am taking a United flight from Terminal One, United moving here from Terminal Three on the Fourth of July/

A straightforward self-check-in with a wondrous delight & surprise: when pre-checking-in online yesterday, it was apparent this flight is full. This is Terror! Terror! Awful! Misery! Suffering! in economy. But, as a million-mile United Frequent Traveller on an oversold flight, I was given a complementary upgrade to Business Class! Hooray! Perhaps Business Class has a better quality of booby? Or, merely fortunate upgrade-Boobies, such as myself? I am twitching in anticipation already.

The Red Carpet Club of Terminal Three has become the Star Alliance Lounge of Terminal One…

… with new facilities such as cappuccino machine…

… and (mostly) digestible food I…

II…

09.23  Set up in the computerising section I…

II..

… and yow! The Vista splash has werned from a computer just behind me.

12.15  UA921 London Heathrow > Washington Dulles.

This aisle seat is against the bulkhead to First Class…

… and life is getting better. Two miles gone…

… and 3674 miles to go…

22.04  #216, Airport Hyatt, Washington Dulles.

Oh no! This is not Nashville!

A straightforward flight to Washington, happily settled in Business Class. Straightforward immigration & Customs clearance, into the Red Carpet Club at Gate C7 for 90 minutes, and over to Terminal A & the Nashville connection on a 50-seater commuter flight.

The passengers sat onboard for almost 3 hours, at the gate and on the runway, before coming back in – there is a tornado watch at Washington & a dangerous pocket of weather some 40 miles from the airport. Some flights are cancelled, and ours is one of them.

With a very long queue of dislocated travellers not travelling lining up to United Customer Services at the A Gates, I returned to the RCC at Gate C7 & the desk acted superbly, organising a flight for tomorrow morning. Tonight, I’m at the Airport Hyatt.

Changing EmadMobile hirecar plans, dribbling pitifully in extremis, I made my way to the courtesy van area…

… in front of the Main Terminal…

… and waited for the Hyattmobile, eventually arriving, and carrying me here. A supper of crabcakes, the largest I have ever been served, in the restaurant…

… and back for a little sleep. Dribble.

Dribble dribble.